And Know They Love You
by Blue Sky Noise
Summary: "And I'll get to say 'Yup. That's my girl'." A series of plotless oneshots about Shepard and Liara being parents.
1. Chapter 1

**This is going to be a series of oneshots, all set in the same universe but at random points in time and not connected to each other in any significant way. It's pretty much just going to be a collection of my drabbles about Shepard and Liara being parents because wow there is nothing cuter.**

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"You're so tiny."

Shepard received a response in the form of an unintelligible babble, Ava's eyes—her eyes—staring up at her as contently as ever. Looking at her still brought a strange sort of happiness to her; something caught between absolutely overwhelming and perfectly peaceful. The small blue hand reaching up towards her pushed the border almost uncomfortably over into the overwhelming section, but Shepard could feel herself smiling with a joy she had never felt so purely as she offered her own hand in return.

She wondered if this was how all new parents felt.

"Look at that," she said quietly, knowing Ava didn't understand a single word but still loved hearing her as much as Shepard loved talking to her. "Your hand's not even as big as my finger."

Ava giggled and grabbed at the finger that had been wiggled playfully at her nose, feet kicking triumphantly when she managed to 'catch' Shepard's hand. Her nose was dotted with her mother's freckles, and they crinkled as the child laughed. Shepard would have laughed with her, but in that moment she became rather breathless, nothing but a weak chuckle passing from her lips.

"How do you even exist," she murmured to herself, as Ava decided to make a game out of pulling on her fingers. Shepard reached down into the crib and carefully lifted her daughter up and out of it, cradling the girl against her chest. She had yet to get used to just how _small _Ava was. It felt as though even the slightest tightening of her grip might crush the girl.

"Nah," she whispered, leaning her back against the wall, eyes still on Ava's as the child looked up at her. "You're gonna be tough. Just like your mom."

Technically speaking, Shepard was Ava's father. Whatever name the girl decided she wished to call her, Shepard knew she would be fine with it. Be it mom or dad or some mixture of the two, anything Ava wanted her to be, she would be it. But as it was then, everyone was identified with a simple garble of sounds, and that would have to do until she figured out how to make her words.

And Shepard was watching herself very closely to make sure one of those first words didn't end up being something she might be shouting while shooting down a pack of Husks.

"We're gonna have a lot of fun when you get older," Shepard continued, stepping away from the wall and walking slowly around the room. She spoke softly, letting her thoughts drift. "There's a big galaxy out there waiting for you. Tons of planets to see. I've get friends on most of them, and I know they can't wait to spend time with you." She smiled. "Garrus and Wrex'll probably try and give you something to shoot. Let's try and spare your mommy that heart attack. Besides-" She lifted Ava above her head, smile widening as her daughter let out a squeal of laughter. "I wanna be the one to help you shoot your first gun. I bet you'll be great at it."

Shepard lowered Ava back down to her chest, brushing her thumb against her cheek. "A natural. Everyone will stop and say 'Wow, that kid is so good'." Shepard swallowed, a small lump forming in her throat. "And I'll get to say 'Yup. That's my girl'."

Ava wiggled in her arms, reaching above her head to reclaim the hand that she had captured earlier. She was making a quiet humming noise, and Shepard chuckled as she walked her back over to her crib.

"You're the best kid in this whole galaxy," she said, setting Ava down and holding one of her daughter's hands with both of hers. "And I'm going to make sure you always know that. I love you, Ava."

Ava was pressing her lips together, still making that humming noise. Shepard chuckled, about to question what the kid was trying to do, but Ava gave her an answer first.

"Ma!"

The only sound in the room after was a few giggles coming from Ava as she wriggled happily in her crib. Shepard looked at her, later feeling grateful for having set her down already, because she wouldn't have trusted the strength of her muscles in those few shocked seconds before her emotions caught up with her like a punch in the chest.

"Holy shit."


	2. Chapter 2

"I still say that if I've got to expose my kid to this squishy fairyland, Tuchanka is a fair tradeoff."

"Sorry Wrex," Shepard said with a wave of her hand. "Liara insists we keep her away from wastelands and turrets until she can at least walk."

Wrex laughed. "I've seen how far she can chuck her toys. She could handle it. Couldn't you?" He leaned forward, extending a fist to the child seated in Shepard's lap. Ava smiled and hit it eagerly with her own hand, getting another hearty chuckle from the krogan.

"Attagirl. See? She knows she's up for it. You two are overprotective."

Shepard leaned against the arm of her chair, cocking an eyebrow. "You got mad at Mordin for chewing on a sheet of paper."

Wrex made a shrugging motion. "The kid's name is Mordin. He needs all the help he can get."

Shepard grinned and shook her head. He joked, but the fondness in Wrex's voice was impossible to miss, just as it always was when he spoke of his first son. Said son was currently rolling about on the ground next to his father's legs, pausing every now and then to try and crawl up into the older krogan's lap, only to want back down a minute later.

Ava turned to Shepard, tugging on her shirt. "Hm?" She pointed eagerly at the ground. Shepard smiled.

"Alright honey," she said, lifting Ava up and setting her down. Shepard leaned forward with her arms on her knees, her and Wrex watching as their children crawled to each other and began babbling in some incoherent language that they couldn't hope to understand.

"I would like to bring her to Tuchanka when she's older," Shepard said, turning her head to her old friend. "Things still going well?"

Wrex leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "More than well. All the new families are giving my people something to work towards. It's giving us hope." He looked to Shepard with a smug grin. "When you bring your kid to Tuchanka, it's going to be the greatest damn thing she's ever seen."

"And not just because she gets to see her uncle Wrex yelling at people, right?" Shepard teased.

"Hey, someone's gotta show her how it's done." Wrex hit his fist against the palm of his hand. "Teach her how to crack a few skulls. You and Liara take care of that walking and talking, and leave the important stuff to me." He nudged Shepard's arm with his own. "But knowing she's got your spirit, I'll probably be taking her to hunt thresher maw in a couple of years."

Shepard shoved him playfully. "Heh. Don't remind me." She exhaled and ran a hand through her hair, letting it rest against the back of her neck. "At the rate she's going, she'll be walking in a couple of weeks. Don't know how we're going to keep her still after that."

Wrex smirked. "You won't. A kid of yours sitting still? Not a chance in hell, Shepard."

Shepard shook her head, but a small _thump _interrupted her before she could reply. The two looked to where Mordin and Ava were sitting, both with their hands pressed to their foreheads and similar expressions of dazed confusion on their faces. The few seconds of silence were broken as Ava began laughing, Mordin joining in right after until they both ended up falling backwards, rolling and giggling.

"Yup, that's definitely your kid, Shepard," Wrex laughed. Shepard groaned and pressed her hands to her face, though she was unable to keep the smile off her face. If Ava started headbutting, she was never going to hear the end of it from Liara.

"It's not _completely _my fault," she insisted. "Did I ever tell you Liara's part krogan?"

"Ha!" Wrex clapped his hands together. "Oh yeah. Thresher maw hunting for her next birthday. My treat."


	3. Chapter 3

"Normandy, go!"

For all intents and purposes, the living room made a suitable substitution for the open galaxy. The lamp was the mass relay, the armchair served as docking bay, and there was enough space for Shepard to run around with a child on her shoulders while making the appropriate 'pew pew' sound effects.

"Where to next, Commander?" she asked, as seriously as she could manage with tiny blue arms wrapped around her head.

"Mmm..." She felt Ava's head press against the top of hers while the girl thought, springing up a moment later with an excited kick to Shepard's shoulder. "Mama!"

"Confirmed." Shepard reached up, lifting Ava off her shoulders and holding her in her arms, leaning forward with a grin. "Coordinates set to Station 'Mama'. Requesting clearance."

Liara looked up from where she sat on the couch, smiling at the two of them before setting her datapad to the side. "Clearance granted, Commander Shepards," she said, and Ava laughed as Shepard tilted her back until she was looking upside-down at Liara.

"Coming in for landing," Shepard announced, walking forward. Ava giggled and reached out her arms to the older asari.

"Hi mama!" she said as they came to a stop. Liara leaned forward and nuzzled her nose against her daughter's, a laugh coming from both of them at the gesture. "Hi baby."

"Docking at Station Mama," Shepard said, giving one last '_pchoo' _as she lifted Ava higher into the air before setting her down in her mother's lap. She herself sat down next to Liara a second later, leaning her head back and draping an arm across the back of the couch. "Normandy needs to refuel."

"Aw," Liara teased, lightly bouncing Ava on her leg. "And here I had heard that the Normandy had better endurance."

Shepard tapped the back of Liara's head. "Hey, I haven't seen anyone offering to give rides on the Shadow Broker Base."

"What's that?" Ava asked, sprawling across Liara's lap to get closer to Shepard for her question. Liara turned her over onto her back before lifting her, cradling her to her chest as she stood.

"Another ship," Liara answered, while Shepard took the opportunity to stretch herself out across the now unoccupied full couch. "How about we ride it right now to go get you ready for bed?"

"Don't forget all the ship noises," Shepard reminded her. She smiled and pointed a finger gun at Ava, one eye closed. "Pew pew."

Ava pointed back at her with a smile, doing her best to imitate Shepard. The hand gun came out just fine, but the wink did nothing more than scrunch up half her face and cause Shepard to laugh at the expression. "Pew pew!"

Shepard laced together her fingers and rested her hands over her eyes as Liara carried Ava into the other room, but the pair weren't gone fast enough for her to miss hearing the question the child asked of her wife.

"Mama, when can I ride a real spaceship?"


End file.
